Make Your Mark

Running my business for nearly a decade now, I can certainly attest to its challenges. My guest today on the #MakeYourMark podcast, Darrah Brustein, makes it so much easier to navigate those entrepreneurial waters. Her attitude is so positive, energetic, infectious, engaging, and she's hitting her stride big time. Oh, should I mention that one of her free guides has been downloaded over 1.2 million times! You really need to listen to our conversation - it's chock full of knowledge!

"We all want to buy stuff, but we don't want to feel sold to. If you're just coming out of the gate launching some BS at me, I'm already on the defense, and I have no interest in furthering this conversation. So if you can come in and be introduced by someone whom I trust, or you can come to an event I'm throwing, or you can start following me online and start contributing to what I am doing, and demonstrate to me that you're someone who actually cares, then I might be interested."

Darrah and I really got on a roll, offering one piece of advice and wisdom after another, and you will hear how our chat was a continuous stream of ideas, guidance and helpful tips that will help everyone who tunes in. We all have a tendency to admire and yearn to be like those we see on social media, and yet Darrah preaches the notion of creating the life that you love, of living your life by design, not by default. Amen!

"I realized, if I can take some of this stuff that I've been accumulating, and this knowledge base that I've been collecting, maybe this could be helpful to people, So about a year ago I set into motion this passion project to write a new book, and create a ton of free resources and content for people who want to intentionally design their lives and build businesses to fund, and networks to support it."

This was an episode that absolutely flew by, and as you listen, you won't be able to hit the pause button...I like t pull a few quotes from my guests, and honestly, there were way too many here to transcribe. Thanks Darrah!

"I didn't grow up thinking I'm going to start a business, and the first one is going to be credit card processing, and then I didn't think two years into building this business, where we're super heads down, that I'm going to start this other business, and then I didn't think 'Hey I'm going to write a children's book' - I don't even have children! There were things that just evolved because I felt like the current was taking me that direction."

"Desperation stench is real, and we can feel it, and it doesn't work. You've got to treat people as people"

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 2:25
• Talking about Atlanta and New York - 4:25
• Highlights on current activities and plans - 5:50
• Networking and young professionals - 6:15
• Knowledge collecting throughout the years - 7:45
• Darrah's background - 8:45
• Behind the curtains - 10:00
• Experience as a Skier - 14:10
• Going into corporate organizations/ Entrepreneurs - 16:00
• Play the cards the best you know and make the best of it - 19:25
• What is it that you want to develop? - 23:25
• Doing online courses 28:15
• What do you? Such a hard question - 29:25
• The 55 questions to ask someone to get to know each other - 30:25
• Your inner circle of friends 37:25
• A gracious way to say someone "no" - 42:35
• The psychology of buying - 47:25
• Had to jump off the hamster wheel - 51:15
• Focus on customer needs - 56:25
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 64:00

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!

Turning dirt to gold. That is what Brian Doyle, today's guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast is doing. As a professional rugby player, Brian was keenly aware of the physical struggles it took to endure to be successful for so many years. But it was a serious injury years ago that created that light bulb moment that is quickly becoming the go to exercise equipment for core training and recovery.

"Tearing my ACL was my first introduction to a real injury, and there's a whole mental aspect of that, but also the physical demands that you go through if you want to return to play. I was able to make it back in about 5 months, which is pretty quick for an ACL. First you get the knee fixed, you do the repair, and then is the physical therapy. I became really tight with my physical therapist, and I had to spend time actually getting mobility back in my knee. While I was transitioning out of physical therapy into a more strength and conditioning program, I had this concept at the top of my head, and I really just wanted to build a tool that helped recreate all of these motions. This is how I ended up launching this product called Axius Core as I was transitioning out of the rugby world."

Brian has combined his keen understanding of the importance of maintaining balance in your core, increasing your endurance and stamina, and developing a product that is easy to use, transport, and get used to, along with a stellar support system to create Axius Core. Just a few minutes a day using it's wide variety of capabilities will lead to a dramatic improvement in your foundational strength and healthier joints.

"I think people are willing to spend money on things that are going to give them the outcome that they want, and that's our job as a brand to help you achieve your outcome. We are going to do whatever we can within our power to make it as easy and convenient as possible for you as my customer to accomplish your goal."

Brian and I covered his switch from basketball to rugby, what brought him into the incredibly competitive world of exercise equipment, and how he hopes to have a product in the same league as Peloton and others, and I'm certain that Axius will get there. Make sure you listen to Brian's transition from athlete to entrepreneur!

"I was a decent student but I fell in love with rugby. I remember the first game I played I realized how incredibly difficult it was just to feel like you're doing anything, like I was so unfit! I remember looking at the other guys who were so impressive, how are they not so tired? So I wanted to see if I could do it. There are training elements that are necessary to play rugby well. You have to be strong, as there are contact and tackle situations, and just the fitness and the endurance required to be able to do both. There is running around like a soccer player, but having to be able to deliver contact like a football player. It was a challenge, I started getting into the training, going to the gym, to make myself better; I think that was more the hook for me."

"One of the cops I used to work out with all the time was a rugby player for Brockport College, he was very good. He said 'Oh, you're going to URI, you gotta play rugby!' and I answered 'I'm not gonna play rugby with you, are you nuts? It is not what I'm going to do at all!' So he started getting in my ear about it, then I ended up going to URI, and actually the first week I was there I received a package with rugby boots and an impassioned note basically saying 'Go to rugby practice now!'. I played basketball just for fun, but rugby got me hooked, and that was it!"

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:30
• New York state (born and raised) - 1:09
• Basketball background - 3:23
• Basketball to Rugby transition - 4:27
• First game experience - 8:30
• The hook: Can I do it? - 9:38
• Being part of a real team - 10:20
• Culture of the game - 10:40
• Still a new professional game - 15:20
• After graduating, now what? -16:34
• Receiving the first cap in Rugby - 18:30
• First injury - 20:17
• Launching the product-Axius Corp - 22:49
• Building the product - 28:40
• Opening up market possibilities - 31:20
• Business development - 32:12
• Helping people achieve their goals - 34:45
• Creating different models of the product - 36:00
• Explaining the "why?" instead of the "what?" - 40:35
• Associate long-term health with Axius product - 42:00
• Commercial Market - 43:50
• Different outcomes - 45:00
• Being an entrepreneur and rugby athlete - 49:26
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 53:03

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!

I was convinced that there must be 36 hours in a day for my guest on this week's #MakeYourMark podcast, Santia Deck. How could anyone pack so much into 24 hours? Santia not only is trying out for the US National Rugby Team, but also plays flag football, runs her own fitness company, is a fitness model, appears on TV shows, and oh, right, has 300,000 followers on Instagram.

"I play USA Rugby, a lot of my time is training, traveling for games. I am also a business owner. My business has taken off quite a bit this last 3 months. I am traveling out of the country almost every month now, I am doing TV work, and I will possibly be on another competition show. I have a talk show that we'll be filming this month. I am doing a lot of things!"

So I was pleased when she was able to give me one of those 36 hours to record this episode! You will truly be inspired by her story of overcoming the bullies, finding her confidence, becoming a collegiate track and field athlete, and trying out for the USA Rugby team, not necessarily by accident! She is the reigning Queen of Abs, and can show you how to transform your body right away! And Santia is only getting started!

"A friend challenged me saying she would get more followers than me. So I started posting all my videos of me working out onto Instagram. People started commenting 'You have really defined abs for a girl'! That's when I started posting more pictures and videos of my workouts. My mom said I should start my own brand, and she asked me what I wanted to call it. I said "Princess of Abs" and she said, 'Why would you be a Princess when you can be a Queen?'? And that's how it became Queen of Abs!"

Santia and I cover lots of ground, with advice on being a business owner, the power and responsibility of influencing others, and so much more, give this episode a good listen!

"I ended up speaking with a company from Hawaii, and they had a shirt I really liked. I said 'I would love to promote your shirt on my platform' and I had maybe 6,000 followers. They hired me, and that's how I went from being a broke college student to getting everything for free. That's when I realized I could make a living from this!"

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:45
• What's keeping you busy right now? 3:45
• Growing up in Houston 6:45
• Publishing the First book 7:20
• What's the book about? 9:00
• Writing in High School: 10:00
• Life after graduation 11:30
• Queen of abs 12:35
• Missing the national championship 14:10
• Getting involved in Rugby 17:00
• First time in Vegas for the tournament 22:15
• Traveling around the world and exposing to different cultures 24:25
• Social Media view internationally 26:40
• Steve Austin's challenge 27:20
• A message to teenagers 29:25
• Traveling to Costa Rica 33:30
• What is something that someone can do that would be strengthening? 36:40
• Wrap-up and Takeaways -37:50

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!

Can you imagine only having enough money to afford a one-way bus ticket, and going someplace you've never been, with no idea if you'll be welcomed when you get there? Today's Mark Your Mark podcast guest, Corey Jackson, not only was in that spot, but has turned what little he had at that point twenty years ago into playing in the NFL and running a successful business. And this is one journey you'll want to listen to!

"When I was working at Walmart I was miserable because I was not living the life I wanted to live. One day I was just sitting there, on this pity party where my life sucks and this thing gets on my head, "Who did this to you? Whose fault is this?". And what I realized in that moment was that no one did it to me, but I also realized nothing was stopping me, so I did what I always did, I was creative, and made things happen."

Corey has truly made the most of his opportunity, and as you will hear in this episode, he shows how focusing completely on basketball, becoming a top collegiate player, and almost by complete accident jumping into football, led him to starting his own company, Qwerkz. He has created an App that makes it easy for athletes to have access to products and service providers that can be trusted. Corey is everywhere on LinkedIn and other social media, offering inspirational messaging and advice for entrepreneurs and athletes making that transition into business.

"This is how the things that you struggle with actually help you. I struggled academically, I was slow, and it took me longer to understand things. I was still behind, and because I had to come back to campus, one one of the football coaches told me I was his favorite player, but that I was playing in the wrong sport! He told me I should be playing football. I ended up getting through the season, and one of the coaches called and told me "You need to come over here because we have 30 NFL scouts asking about you. They want to know who the basketball player is." I just went and killed the workouts, and suddenly had agents calling me."

Corey has jumped over hurdle after hurdle along the way, and you'll really enjoy this episode filled with his uplifting story of beating the odds to get to where he is today, making him the ideal guest for the Make Your Mark podcast! Happy listening!

"It was overwhelming, one of the greatest feelings. You come out of this tunnel, and this is something you have watched your entire life, and all these people screaming. I am nobody, but they know me. Amazing experience walking out on that field. That was one of the most remarkable feelings that I've ever had. It makes you think anything is possible!"

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:40
• Growing up in south carolina - 5:10
• Going behind the scenes - 7:45
• Losing is the hardest thing to do/learning how to lose - 8:35
• Academic Difficulties - 9:15
• Figuring out how to do it, and how to get things done - 12:05
• Not living the life you want to live - 13:45
• Applying for school - 15:00
• How are you gonna pay for it - 17:25
• We want you on the team-Life changing - 18:45
• Training the whole team - 20:40
• I became a leader - 22:00
• You're my favorite player but you're playing the wrong sport - 23:35
• Long story, short - 25:00
• I'm nobody but they know me (getting out on the field) - 27:05
• Anything is possible - 28:10
• I took off like a rocket - 29:15
• I'll go there and kill it - 34:15
• Giving up the half million - 35:15
• The transition - 36:15
• Trying to fund my lifestyle - 38:25
• Talking about retired athletes and how to help them - 43:15
• Starting a new company - 44:40
• Where do you wanna take it in the next 5-10 years? - 46:10
• Staying on top of the game - 49:15
• Follow on social media - 50:30
• Hit Your Mark - 51:35

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away towards taking your business and career to a much higher level!

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!

Reaching the pinnacle in your sport or profession is an amazing achievement, but to do it in two separate ones is truly remarkable! How many former NFL athletes do YOU know who also happen to be internationally acclaimed opera singers? Well, until today, likely none. Here's your chance to hear the incredible story of my guest today, Ta'u Pupu'a, on the Make Your Mark podcast. You will hear about the challenges, hurdles, and ultimately, successes that Ta'u went through to be where he is today.

"There are a lot of times when you're on that stage, and you're singing with other artists but you feel alone, because in football you play as a family, as a team, but in opera what I've noticed is everyone wants to be the quarterback, everyone wants to throw that touchdown pass, everyone wants to be in the spotlight. But luckily I'm 6'5". In my mind I look at the opera as a family, as a unit, and I look at the conductor as the coach making sure the plays are all running smoothly."

If you've been following this podcast, you know that a common thread throughout is the story of the transition from either the playing field, court, rink, or even battlefield into a venture creating a lasting and positive impact, and Ta'u fits perfectly into that mold. It took a full year of being depressed and without direction for him to answer the calling of being a singer, and taking a giant leap of faith towards NYC.

"After the injury I struggled. I made the decision to go home, and driving from Baltimore to Utah was a two day drive. I had a lot to think about. What was I going to do? What was my life going to be? I was depressed for about a year, I couldn't watch football, couldn't watch my teammates be out there playing while I was sitting at home. I thought about what was my true calling in life, and I remember looking outside, and said step left, move forward, and go and sing. I thought, this is crazy, I've been playing football since I was 10, and now I'm going to go sing. I decided to do that, so I packed my one suitcase and moved to New York."

Ta'u is such a positive guy, with commitment, drive, perseverance all rolled up into a 6'5" body that can belt out an aria with the best of them. You will be inspired by the his determination to succeed on two big stages, performing at the top of his game, and leaving any doubters behind. Happy listening!

"How do you meet people in the music industry? I got a job across from the Metropolitan Music Hall, the greatest opera house. I walked into this restaurant and said "Hey I'd like to work here", and soon enough became the maitre d'! I picked that location because I knew that all the opera singers would cross the street to eat there, and Julliard was also across the street, and that's how I met my current colleagues! All these big opera singers would come into the restaurant, and I learned a lot by just watching. The same method applied to football, you learn by watching, and you go out and do it. You learn by examples - good examples."

"For me I had to go back to God and believe that things are going to work out no matter what. And that's when that voice popped into my head to keep going, but that we're going to go into a different chapter in my life."

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:40
• The Move to America - 3:50
• A Football Star on the Rise - 5:35
• I just had to show up and Deliver - 8:25
• 6'5", 290 lb and Killing it - 9:30
• Polynesian Pioneers - 12:10
• A Different Kind of Treatment - 14:15
• Behind the Curtain - 15:25
• The Baltimore Ravens - 18:45
• A Serious Injury - 20:00
• A Life-Changing Decision - 20:30
• One Suitcase and I was On My Way to New York. - 24:25
• Hustling in the City - 25:25
• You Learn By Watching - 26:30
• Strong Ties Between Opera and Football - 28:30
• Breaking The Mold - 31:00
• What it Takes to be an Incredible Opera Singer - 34:25
• "You have a God-given talent." - 36:45
• Amazing Benefits of being Bilingual - 40:00
• For Me I'm just Ta'u from Tonga - 43:15
• Our Body is our Instrument - 44:25
• When Injuries Hit You in the NFL, It's a "Tough Luck" Type of Deal - 48:30
• Hit Your Mark - 54:10

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away on your path to success!

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to Make their Mark in life and business!

There are so many pathways to becoming an Olympian that began in a different direction, and today's guest, Garrett Klugh, certainly never set out to be at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He had his sights set on collegiate volleyball before realizing that his path to athletic success was rowing a boat. I am always impressed with what someone does after they leave their sport, and Garrett has continued his athlete's mindset into entrepreneurship with great success!

"I've always been fascinated by people who start something from nothing, this whole idea of entrepreneurship, where it's 'I have this idea and it doesn't exist that I know of and if it does I'm gonna do it better and I'm gonna take nothing and build something.'"

Garrett and I go back a ways, as we have a shared interest in helping athletes take their next steps, especially as entrepreneurs, and giving others those a-ha moments that lead them to success. Between Athens and NYC he has been a policeman in San Diego, a professor in Colorado, continued services to his fellow Olympians, all leading to his current work with Falk Ventures, and of course, the Huddle.

"Like most new business school grads, I thought 'I'm going to go work in finance, this will be the first time I can get a stamp on my resume that says you can work for a big company that shows you can work and play well with others' and it was a time in my life where I needed to do that, except for one thing… I was 39 years old and I was entering the workforce in a different way in New York than a 25 year old was, no one knew what to do with me."

We include numerous tips for athlete-entrepreneurs - give this one a careful listen, and be prepared to take notes! Happy Listening!

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Where it all began - 3:45
• Rowing wasn't even on my mind - 7:00
• The Spark of a Passion - 8:30
• Gaining an advantage - 12:45
• Rowing His Way to the Olympics - 15:00
• Hustling for an Income - 21:00
• Understanding the Competition - 26:30
• How to take the Programs to the Next Level - 33:25
• Every Day I felt like I was Putting on a Costume - 38:35
• Nobody Knew What to do with Me - 44:25
• How to Identify your Next Passion - 51:45
• The Huddle - 57:10
• Hit Your Mark - 60:40

How to get involved

Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.

If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away on your path to success!

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!

"The HBL is a college basketball league that has been developed to eliminate the inefficiencies that exist in the traditional system. We are striving to become the premier destination for college basketball talent across the globe." (Ricky Volante)

You will soon hear so much more about the new HBL, a league that will change the face of college basketball completely. I had the chance to speak with co-founder Ricky Volante and 15-year NBA veteran David West at length in the new #MakeYourMark podcast about the new league that they have started, and it is turning heads big time! What?!! Paying college athletes to play their sport? That has been taboo….until now!

"There's nowhere you can go where you can watch guys who are not in the NBA play by the NBA's rules. This will make it a much faster game, and I'm interested to see how fast these young kids can actually play at that pro pace." (David West)

Ricky and his team have figured out the best way to pay college age athletes to play basketball in preparation for a career in the NBA, at the same time offering them the ability to attend a college of their choice without having to be constrained by current NCAA rules. What they are proposing in the HBL can make all sides satisfied, and benefit the student-athletes and their families.

"With the HBL what we have set out to create from Day 1 is the best model that is suited for the athletes themselves, eliminating that false choice between compensation or education, and instead bringing a model together that allows them to have both compensation and education" (Ricky Volante)

David lays out the basketball operations side of things, and Ricky describes how investors can be directly involved in operating the teams. We cover almost everything you can think, and I challenge you to think of any holes that they may have missed. Jump onto the HBL bandwagon, it's going to be a great ride!

"We want to talk to guys about the importance of leading the charge, being a leader at their university, and not being a follower." (David West)

"I used to wrestle with the decision of whether or not to go right back into basketball, whether or not I wanted to coach, but I think what the HBL has provided is an opportunity to work on the executive side which I'm really interested in, on the corporate side of the group, the development of the business, these are the things I'm definitely interested in. I guess I'm killing two birds with one stone. I get to stay in basketball and engage in something I know well, and love being part of the basketball family, but also have the opportunity to engage in the business side of things, and help grow the business." (David West)

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:40
• Ricky Volante - 4:50
• David West - 5:25
• Rookies Unprepared for the NBA - 8:00
• What is the HBL? - 9:10
• Options going into College Basketball - 10:20
• HBL advantages - 11:00
• The HBL game - 12:30
• HBL Coaching - 14:30
• NCAA can't Control Students - 16:00
• Recruiting Process - 18:40
• HBL Season Structure - 20:20
• Less Than 2% Go Pro - 24:20
• Front Office Perspective - 25:50
• In Support of Superteams - 29:30
• List of 20 Potential Team Markets - 32:20
• Expansion Plans - 34:50
• Developing Your Own Identity - 35:50
• Preparing for After Basketball - 37:20
• Investor Operator - 40:20
• HBL Foundation Initiatives - 42:20
• From HBL to the NBA - 44:20
• HBL Revenue Streams - 46:20
• Digital Streaming - 48:10
• International Players - 52:50
• Another Choice for Young Athletes - 54:35
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 57:20

How to get involved:

Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly. If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away on a faster path to success!

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!

"The biggest thing is understanding who you are, understanding your identity outside of being an athlete, what are you other passions, what do you value, what kind of lifestyle do you want to live once you're done playing, and really get your 'brand' in order."

There are numerous athletes working on helping other athletes make that challenging transition from the game to their next career easier. The catch is that most of them focus on motivation and old school tips that mean well, but are not effective. My guest today, Malcolm Lemmons, uses his experiences as a professional basketball player and entrepreneur to guide athletes to discovering their true purpose, and leveraging their skill set into a productive and fulfilling career.

"Patience is so crucial in life. Living in the world we are in today, my generation is so used to instant gratification, we want things to happen so fast, and nothing happens overnight"

Yes, Malcolm and I preach the very same messages from different perspectives, and is a big reason why I wanted to have him on the Make Your Mark podcast and hear how he likes to deliver his message, how he takes what he picked up as an athlete and advises others about how to go through the same. His book "Lessons From The Game" lays out a variety of principles that everyone should read and repeat, and his humble personality truly helps deliver that guidance.

"So many of the skills that you gain and the intangibles that athletes learn can be applied to anything else that you want to do."

If you are an athlete at any point in your career, make sure to give this episode a listen as both Malcolm and I deliver tips and strategies that will position you to be fully prepared once you leave the game. Happy Listening!

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:45
• Born and Raised in D.C. - 3:35
• Sports as an Escape - 5:20
• Stay Focused on Life's Vision - 7:45
• Car Crash Changes Perspective on Life - 8:50
• Last Minute to Niagara University - 11:30
• All American at Cal State - 14:45
• Playing in Japan - 15:30
• Lessons From The Game - 19:30
• Getting past Setbacks - 21:00
• Patience is Crucial in Life - 26:15
• Understanding Your Identity - 28:50
• Confidence Comes From Repetition - 31:50
• The Importance of Structure - 33:00
• Hit Your Mark - 34:00
• Wrap-up - 39:00

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!

"Create that game within the game, that underdog mindset, when you're starting. Most people look at it as freedom, but I look at it as that you have to play that game within the game and push yourself. If you aren't a self-starter and self-motivator, regardless of how good your idea is, it can be tough to win."

Having been an avid sports memorabilia collector since I was a kid, I have known of my guest today, Brandon Steiner, for 20+ years, and as head of Steiner Sports, he's been a pioneer within the sports marketing and promotion space, creating a new vehicle for athletes to grow beyond their sport. I was thrilled to have corralled Brandon for this episode, as he shares so much advice on being an entrepreneur, how to be a truly successful athlete, and so much more!

"Don't settle for doing something just well, but do it extraordinary, that's the goal. Do something different and more unique than anyone else has done. What are you going to do to differentiate yourself, especially if someone else is already doing what you're doing? What are you doing to get better, and are you willing to climb those rough hills and get through those tough climbs? Because that's how you're going to become significant and extraordinary."

We dug into his current book, "Living On Purpose", drawing from his three decades of experiences within the sports industry. In the book, Brandon covers what he considers to be the three "foundational pillars of a satisfying and fulfilling existence: Faith (in yourself and others), Fortune (dreaming BIG and following it through), and Fitness (making positive lifestyle changes)". You'll hear about Brandon's rise from his childhood in Brooklyn, hurdling nearly insurmountable odds to study at Syracuse University, and parlaying what he developed with sports bars and more into what became a multi-million $ company.

"I convey this heavily in the book; the more good you can do leads you to doing more well, most people are just worried about doing as well as they can, and we weren't all put here so we could just do well. We are put here on this Earth to help each other, and that has to be part of the deal. It's the joy, not the burden. The JOY."

Brandon has faced the challenges of running a company with true grit, and has understood that the highs can be temporary, that you need to keep on grinding. You will learn so much from this advice and inspiration-packed episode! Happy Listening!

"Try to start every morning with acts of kindness. Would you help someone if they couldn't help you back? That's the real joy. I think a lot of people do good things, but a lot of it is premeditated with the emphasis that you're going to get something back. Helping people is not a burden, it's an opportunity. When you do a lot of good, the by-product is you will do a lot more well. Acts of kindness circulate, a lot of people I've touched in small ways, and I feel a lot of joy from that. You remember people who do something nice for you, and you want to surround yourself with those kind of people. Why wouldn't you do it?"

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:00
• Don't Settle for Ordinary - 3:45
• "Nobody who was as Poor as Me had the Balls to even apply to Syracuse" - 9:15
• Business Grind - 12:30
• Three things to be a Successful Entrepreneur - 15:38
• A Strict Money Grab - 20:00
• Turn it up a Notch - 22:00
• Thinking Ahead, Thinking Big, Thinking Different - 26:30
• A Big Risk and a Huge Break - 28:00
• The Experience is Bigger than just the Game - 32:30
• The Best of the Best Stadiums - 34:30
• Starting your Day with Significance - 36:37
• Players aren't Educated about their Brand - 40:40
• The Reality of a Player's Life - 44:45
• The League Has Got to Get Its Act Together - 47:30
• If you Live Your Life in the Past your Life will be History - 49:40
• Helping People is not a Burden, It's An Opportunity - 53:55
• Take Care of Yourself First - 56:50
• Hit Your Mark - 59:14

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!

"Because I have such a deep interest in business, and have done so much in terms of hiring and building teams, I think very differently. I have all these myths I'm debunking, the myths that are causing a whole bunch of fear in these athletes."

Helping athletes make the transition out of their sport and into their next career, whether starting a new business, or working for a company, is a core element of what I do. This is why it brings a big smile to my face to find a kindred spirit in today's Make Your Mark guest, Kathryn Ducey, as she is becoming one of Canada's foremost experts in working with athletes, both current and retired.

"If you think about athletes and their worlds within sport, they have a coach who helps them manage their mind within the environment that they're in, and once they leave that environment, everyone just kind of goes and disappears."

Kathryn digs deep into her childhood and uses her experiences to drive progress with each athlete she works with, helping them manage their minds within the worlds that they exist in, allowing them to get their perspective in a good space before moving towards the next step in their career. You will see throughout this episode that Kathryn is a warm, engaging, funny and smart as heck professional with hundreds of hours of speaking (and more importantly, listening) to athletes, their coaches, and family members. I really like her style and approach, and you will to!

"We have 60,000 thoughts every day, and half of them are negative. 2500 of those negative thoughts happen every hour, and we don't think any of that is impacting us? So let's get to the bottom of what those thoughts are. What are the circumstances, what are the thoughts that you had, what are the feelings that they created, the action, inaction, reaction, and that creates your results."

We had a rollicking good time with this episode, all the while dispensing some very important advice for all athletes, make sure to check it out! Happy Listening!

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction - 0:45
• Founder of Higher Athletes - 4:35
• Fill the Gap with Coaching - 5:10
• Parents had Messy Stuff going on - 7:00
• Dad was Controlling Every Move being made - 10:00
• He took his Last Two Breaths and Died - 12:10
• Nobody is Immune to Bad Thoughts - 14:10
• Lied on My Resume - 15:00
• Giving Athletes Confidence - 17:00
• Athlete's Advantages - 21:30
• 5% Conscious, 95% Subconscious
• Focus on Thoughtwork - 25:45
• 60,000 Thoughts / day - 27:20
• Teaching Amateurs to be Great - 29:00
• Imposter Syndrome - 31:20
• F-Up Night - 31:40
• Coaching Athlete's Minds - 37:40
• Athletes Deny Retirement - 41:10
• Taking Advantage of Down Time - 45:00
• Lack of Empathy in the Corporate World - 46:30
• Met with 150 Athletes over 100s of Hours - 50:00
• Hit Your Mark - 51:30
• Wrap Up - 56:10

How to get involved

• Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.
• If you're looking for ways to Make Your Mark, send me an email [email protected] and I'll get you going right away.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life!